others but an unmeasurable fulnesse of all grace A fulnesse of redundancy which from him might flow out to all the Elect for the filling of them with a fulness of sufficiency Of this the Scripture speaks John 3. 34. and Iohn 1. 16. In all these respects God hath raised him up to be a Horne of salvation Thus much for the opening of the Doctrine The Uses of this Doctrine Vse 1. For Information in two things First The miserable condition of those that are without Iesus Christ Who are without Christ Not onely Jewes and Turks and Pagans but all unbeleevers in the Church Whosoever is without true saving faith is without Christ 'T is faith that makes Christ Actually ours Faith unites us to Christ and Christ to us Their misery is very great Christ is a horn of salvation the onely Horn of salvation he that is without Christ is without salvation God hath put the salvation of men into Christs hands 1 Iohn 5. 11. He hath given us eternal life and this life is in his Sonne And he that hath the Sonne hath life but he that hath not the Son hath not life ver 12. God himself cannot save him that is without an interest in Christ He hath set down this way of salvation and he cannot deny himself It is a question amongst the Schoolmen whether God could have saved sinners without Christs satisfaction They generally conclude upon good grounds that he might but now 't is not so much as a question God hath resolved that whosoever is saved shall be saved by Christ and without mutability he cannot save men another way Better never to have seen the light then to die without an interest in Christ And he that doth not beleeve truely in him hath no saving interest in him Iohn 3. 18. How shall I know whether I do truly beleeve or no I shall here to help you lay down a twofold note of true faith 1. It is a heart-purifying grace This effect of faith the Apostle mentions in Acts 15. 9. Whosoever hath true faith in Christ will find his heart purified and cleansed thereby The efficient cause of the purification of the heart is the Spirit of God who is called the Spirit of Sanctification 2 Thes 2. â—3 The 〈◊〉 cause is Christs blood 1 Iohn â— 7. The instrumental cause is faith This grace purifies the hearâ—â— as it is an instrument whereby the blood of Christ which purifies is conveyed to the soul and as it doth take hold upon the promise of cleansing the promise is I will sprinkle clean water Ezek. 36. 25. Faith applies this promise and improves and so purifies the heart If you have not purification of heart you have not faith and if you have not faith you have not Christ as a Horne of salvation Now that heart may be said to be purified that hath these three properties 1. If it bewaile impurity Impurity that is truly lamented is in Gods account as if it were removed Rom. 7. 23 24. If thy pollution be thy greatest burden thy heart is purified in Gods sight 2. If it be cautious of every thing that may defile A heart that is purified dares not willingly come neere any defiling puddle it will avoid occasions temptations of defilement Iob 31. 1. Carefulnesse of shunning defilement is an infallible note of purification 3. If it be through inadvertency defiled it will not be quiet till it be made clean A purified heart cannot lie in any uncleannesse when God hath once discovered it to him Thus David when he saw his pollution with what earnestnesse doth he run to the Laver that he may be washed Ps 51. 2 7. 2. Saving faith hath very high and precious thoughts of Christ This character is laid down by the Apostle in 1 Pet. 2. 7. No unbeleever can truly have precious thoughts of Christ nay they have low thoughts of him as 1 Pet. 2. 7 8. and Cant. â— 9. Try your faith by this note Now if Christ be truly precious 1 He shall reigâ—â— and rule over thee His precepts will be as precious as his promises His Sovereignty will be as precious as his sacrifice his yoke will be as desirable as his merits the Apostle opposeth saith and disobedience 1 Pet. 2. 7. Where Christ is disobeyed he is not beleeved in 2 If Christ be truly precious to thee his dishonours will pierce thy soul The dishonours done to him in his truths worship government will be a greater grief to thy heart then all the dishonours that are done unto thy selfe 3 If Christ be truly precious to thee it will be thy meat and drink to do him any service Thou wilt make it thy study to set him up and to make him great where ever thou comest 4 If Christ be precious to thee all his Ordinances will be precious Thou wilt have a high esteeme of his Word of his Sacraments of his Sabbaths and that for his sake who hath instituted these things If it be not thus with thee thou art an unbeleever and if an unbeleever thou hast for present no saving interest in him that is the horne of salvation Secondly The impossibility of the perishing of any of the Elect. Their eternal salvation is a thing of absolute certainty They can never perish They may seem to be lost sometimes in their own apprehension I said saith Jonah I am cast out of thy sight Jonah 2. 4. He was in his own eyes as if he had been a cast-aâ—ay 〈…〉 impossible it should be so as in other 〈…〉 so in this because Christ is the horne of their salvation He that hath wrought their salvation is able to preserve salvation for them and them for salvation If Christ be able to save you ye shall be saved When you look upon that in your selves that may seem to hinder your salvation look upon that that is in Christ to maintain your salvation You shall be as certainly saved as Christ himself is saved Father I will that they whom thou hast given me may be with me where I am that they may behold my glory c. John 17. 24. Your salvation is now fully accomplished he that was able to accomplish your salvation is able much more to apply it now it is accomplished Consider these seven Notions to make this out 1 Christ will not lose the merit of his blood nor be deprived of the end of his death and he must do both these if one of his Elect should miss of salvation 2 Christ did not conquer for the Devil but from the Devil Christ will not be at the charge and cost of redemption and when he hath done suffer the devil to go away with the spoile 3 Christ will not impoverish himself to enrich the Devil and impoverished he should be if one of the Elect should perish for every Saint helps to make up his mystical fulnesse So the Apostle tells us Eph. 1. ult 4 Iesus Christ will not rob his Father to enrich the Devil Now if
the children of God c. for as many of you as have been baptized c. there is neither Jew nor Greek bond nor free male nor female for ye are all one in Christ Jesus The words are a Proposition In which we have 1. The Subject Christ But Christ 2. The Predicate He is all and in all He is all things that are necessary to salvation and that in all persons who do beleeve in him who are renued and regenerated by his grace I intend to go over all the comparisons by which Jesus Christ is set out in Scripture And I have begun with this as a Preface or introduction to the rest I shall handle it generally and draw from it this observation viz. Doct. The Lord Jesus Christ is all things in and to all persons that have a true saving interest in him Christ is all and in all It doth not exclude the Father and Holy Ghost but all other things as circumcision uncircumcision c. A like phrase Act. 4. 12. Christ is all and in all to every beleever Here are two rules to be observed 1. We are not to understand this as excluding the other persons of the Trinity for the whole God-head is all in alto beleevers as well as Jesus Christ But because Jesus Christ the second person of the Trinity is the head of the mystical body by vertue of which union true beleevers are made one mystical body with Christ Eph. 1. ult therefore is this principally appropriated to him to be all in all to those that are united to him by saving faith 2. The truth of this proposition is not from the humane nature but from the divine it is from the power of the divine nature in Christ that he is all in all to his people because the fulnesse of the God-head dwells bodily in the humane nature as a part of the person Now he is all in all to them in these five respects viz. 1. By way of merit Jesus Christ is meritoriously all in all to beleevers Whatsoever they are whatsoever they have whatsoever they do or can expect is only upon the score and account of his purchase and merit They enjoy no good thing upon any other termes but only upon the consideration of Christs merits Because he hath done and suffered for them and in their stead therefore do they partake of those blessings which make them happy to all eternity The Patriarchs in the Old Testament Christians in the New have pleaded with God for all blessings only upon the account of Christ Dan. 9. 17. cause thy face to shine upon thy Sanctuary that is desolate for the Lords sake Of this the Apostle speaks when he saith that Christ is made unto us of God wisdom righteousnesse sanctification and redemption 1 Cor. 1. 30. Christ doth bestow upon us and God is pleased to accept for us the merit of Christs Passion death obedience and righteousnesse 2. Christ is all in all to them by way of conveyance As he hath merited all for them so 't is from him and through him that all good things are communicated to them John 14. 6. As we have all propter Christum so we receive all we have per Christum through Christ He is not only the fountaine but the Medium and conduit through whom all a beleever hath is conveyed to him Jesus Christ is a beleevers root Joh. 15. 5. Now as all the sap which is in the branches is communicated through the root so all the good which a beleever hath is derived through Christ God hath put all that good he intends to bestow upon his Elect into Christs hands as a Feoffee in trust and from him as the great Lord-steward is all communicated unto them Of this the Apostle speaks Col. 2. 19. From Christ the head the whole body by joynts and bands having nourishment ministred and â—nit together increaseth with the increase of God Jesus Christ is as it were the hand of God through which all good things are sent in to us He is the door John 10. 7. 3. Christ is all in all to them by way of efficiency and causality He it is that works all in all in his Saints 1 Cor. 12. 6. There are diversities of operations but it is the same God which worketh all in all This our Saviour bears witnesse unto John 15. 5. when he tells us that without him we can do nothing The soul is the principle of all action in man Jesus Christ is the principle of all motion and spiritual action in his Saints for he is the soul of their soule Not a good desire not a good thought but what is inspired by Jesus Christ The Apostle doth freely acknowledge this Gal. 2. 20. I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me c. so Phil. 2. 12 13. Work out your own salvation c. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure 4. Christ is all in all to them virtually he is instead of all things to them Solomon saith that money answereth all things Ecoles 10. 19. it is meat drink cloaths house lands c. all things that are vendible may be procured by money Jesus Christ is virtually all things he makes up all things that are wanting Hence it is that he is in Scripture compared to all things to food to cloathing to physick to gold to health c. because he stands for all these things unto the soules of his Saints Hence is that promise Rev. 21. 7. He that overcometh shall inherit all things Jesus Christ is for all uses and purposes This is in the text he is Circumcision to the Gentile wisdome to the Barbarian c. 5. Christ is all in all to them by way of benediction and sanctification It is from him that any good they enjoy becomes a blessing to them He makes every thing effectual for those ends for which they are appointed No good thing would be good to us without the benediction of Christ yea were it not for his blessing every good thing would prove a snare a crosse and a curse to us as they do to them who have no interest in Christ This is that which Solomon saith Prov. 10. 22. The blessing of the Lord it maketh rich Thy health would be thy greatest sicknesse thy wealth would be thy ruine thy parts and abilities would be a snare to thee did not Jesus Christ sanctifie them by his blessing All the good the Saints enjoy depends upon Christs blessings to make them good to them The Application follows Use 1. How injurious to Jesus Christ are they who mingle other things with Jesus Christ as the causes of their salvation The Papists mingle their own merits and righteousnesse indulgences the sufferings of other men with the merits of Christ as the causes of their justification and salvation What else iâ— this but to deny the al-sufficiency of Jesus Christ If he be all in all for justification and
Alms shall famish for want of it Vse 2. For Exhortation I. To such as want Christ My counsel to them is that they would labour for an interest in him you cannot be well without him you will famish your soul if you have not Christ for your meat and drink Quest How may we come to have an interest in him 1. Be thorowly perswaded of your need of him This is the first step to the attainment of him Look upon your natural guilt upon all your sinnes upon the severity of the curse of the Law against disobedience upon the exact justice of God in punishing sinne and upon your own helpless nesse either to satisfie justice or to stand out under the deserved wrath of God and you will be convinced of your need of him 2. Wait upon Jesus Christ in that way in which he gives himself to sinners The publick Ordinances chiefly the preaching of the Word In that Christ makes the tender of himself and by that ordinarily faith is wrought in the heart to embrace that tender Rom. 10. 17. Zacheus obtained Christ by being in the way of Christ Luke 19. 4. the Ordinances are the Sycamore-tree Câ—â—mb up into them and stay and wait till Christ come He is to passe by that way 3. Observe his call and embrace it Prov. 9. init Luke 14. 16 17 18. Mark the impressions of the Spirit the knocking 's of Christ Thus did Zacheus Luke 19. 5 6. Zacheus Come down c. And he made haste and came down c. Beg of Christ that he would give a heart to come down when he sayes come down He is the meat and drink of God He that refuseth him sinneth against his own soule Consider seriously of it When you finde your stomack crave meat and drink think O what shall I do for spiritual meat and drink II. To such as have an interest in Christ who is meat and drink let me commend a few things to you 1. Feed on him Eat and drink of this flesh and blood every day Christians grow weak because they let their meat and drink stand by them 'T is not the flesh in the pot but the flesh in the stomack that gives nourishment 'T is not the drink in the vessel but the drink taken down that revives Stir up spiritual hunger and that will make you feed heartily on Christ Eat and drink Christ by Meditation eat and drink him by Application Let your faith draw in Christ in every Ordinance Keep your Spiritual meals as constantly as you do your other meales Your eating will help you to a stomack Satisfaction and hunger are mutual helps one to another Eating and drinking other meat takes away the appetite but it increaseth the spiritual appetite Fixed times of spiritual feeding every day are marvellous profitable When you have prayed call your heart to account what it hath taken in of Christ When you have been reading ask it what nourishment it hath received from the Word When the Lords Supper is over enquire what refreshment is received Put your selves forward to frequent constant actual feeding It 's pitty such precious meat and drink should stand in corners when the soule hath so much need of it 2. Be thankful for this meat and drink That it is provided for any that it is actually dealt out to you That you have that meat and drink which others want There are many that have no other meat but sinne They drink iniquity like water Job 15. 16. Some eat the bread of violence and drink the wine of deceit Some there are that drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their God Amos 2. 8. They eat the flesh of men and drink their blood like new wine Micah 3. 3. The greatest part of men have no other meat then the pulse of worldly comforts no other drink then the puddle water of created things and thou hast the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ to eat and drink prize and value at an high rate the exceeding riches of this grace We are to blesse God for our corporal meat and drink Jesus Christ gave thanks when he ate and drank John 6. 11 And so did the Apostles Acts 27. 35. and so should all men do It is brutish to eat and drink without Thanksgiving How much more cause have we to blesse God for our spiritual meat and drink The corporall is common to us with others This is peculiar onely to the Elect no other shall taste of this provision 3. Let your growth be answerable to such excellent feeding God expects that our spirituall growth should be proportionable to our spiritual feeding Bos Macer pingui in arvo is prodigious Husbandmen expect that when they put their cattel into pastures that are rich where there is plenty of grasse and abundance of water they expect that their growth should be answerable The Saints of God are highly fed They have Angels meat should they not then do Angels work If you do not grow very fast you will bring up an evil report of Christ as if his flesh were not nourishing meat as if his blood were not nourishing drink as if it were meat in shew and not meat indeed as if it were drink in shew not drink indeed Jesus Christ may repent that his body was broken his blood poured out to be meat and drink for you that are still leane and ill-favoured even dwarfs in grace It 's the Saints priviledge that they shall grow because Christ is their feeder and it is their duty because they have such food to be carefully mindful of growing Every limb of the new man should thrive We should grow lower in humility higher in heavenly-mindednesse broader and thicker in spiritual affections c. you cannot expresse your thankfulnesse for this royal meat and drink any other way so much to the contentment of Christ as by growing abundantly It is that which our Saviour requires as a testimony of our union with him and of thankfulnesse for that feeding vertue we receive from him John 15. 5 8. As he is unworthy of meat that doth not labour so is he more unworthy that doth not grow 4. Shew pitty to others that feed on other meat and drink Endeavour to communicate Christ to those that want him We naturally pity famished men lean cheeks and pale faces work some bowels in a miser in an enemy Commend Christ to others perswade them to embrace him You shall feel no want of meat and drink for your selves by communicating Christ to others Though a thousand eat and drink of him no one shall have the lesse 5. Do not despair of spiritual growth and strength 'T is a dishonour to Christ to think that he should starve you His flesh is strengthning flesh his blood is strengthening blood quickening blood 'T is full of spirits 't is full of life Though thy graces be weak thy spiritual diseases violent yet despair not Thou receivest more from Christ then thou canst lose or spend
the Gospel The Apostle calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the glorious Gospel or the Gospel of glory 1 Tim. 1. 11. The Gospel is exceeding full of glory there 's nothing in it but that which is very glorious This is enough to proclaim the glory of it because in it the Lord Jesus Christ is discovered the Gospel is the Orbe in which the Sunne of righteousnesse shineth it is the Chariot in which Christ rides It is the Golden vessel which carries this glorious light about the world The Gospel is the true Bethshemesh or house of the Sunne it is called the Word of Christ Col. 3. 16. Because by this Word Jesus Christ is discovered and manifested to the world David doth admire the heavens for this that in them God hath set a Tabernacle for the Sunne Psal 19. 4. The Gospel is that glorious Tabernacle which God hath set and established for this great Sunne of righteousnesse Where the Gospel is not Christ is not known remove the Gospel and Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse is totally removed 2. The exceeding great glory of heaven The Scripture makes mention of heaven as of a glorious place Amongst other things this shewes the glory of it that this Sunne of righteousnesse shines in it Rev. 21. 23. and 22. 3 This will further appear if we consider how far Christs shining in heaven dazzels his shining here on earth I will instance in these three particulars 1. In heaven Christ shines upon the soul immediately There is nothing to interpose between Christ and the soul his shinings in this life are immediate through the Ordinances We see his beames in this life through the thick glasse of Ordinances the Churh tells us the manner of his shining in this life Cant. 2. 9. We have his beames here only by reflection but in heaven they are immediately darted down upon the soul There is no Temple in heaven Rev. 21. 22. Christ himselfe is the Temple Now if the mediate beamings of Christ upon the soul he so glorious What abundant glory will there be in his immediate shinings 2. In heaven he shines with his full strength upon the soul All have here on earth but small beames of this Sunne A beam in one Ordinance and a beam in another here a little and there a little as we are able to bear it the eye of the soul while it is unglorified is not able without dazling to look upon Jesus Christ shining in his full strength Thou shalt see my back parts but my face cannot be seen Exod. 33. 22 23. but in heaven the soul shall be able to take a full view of Christs face 1 Cor. 12. 12. All that ever we have seen of Christ in this world will be but darknesse in respect of that full sight of his glory we shall have in heaven 3. In heaven Christ shines without intermission The soul here doth often lose the sight of Christs face every day is not a Sunne-shine day There are some dark and gloomy dayes even to them that have the greatest interest in Christ Esay 50. 10. but in heaven the Sunne is alwayes up There are no clouds to Eclipse the light of Christs face in that region There 's no night in heaven Rev. 27. 25. That which causes the soul here to lose the sight of Christ shall not be in heaven No sinne enters into that holy place if the immediate perfect uninterrupted shining of Christ can make a place glorious heaven is a most glorious place 3. The miserable condition of those that have no interest in Jesus Christ The Scripture makes it the top of all misery to be without Christ Eph. 2. 12. This text beares witnesse to it How uncomfortable would the world be if there were no Sunne If God had not made the Sunne the world would have been but an uncomfortable prison What a muse and astonishment are men put into when the Sunne is Eclipsed but for a few houres How doleful is their condition upon whom the Sunne of righteousnesse hath never risen They have neither spiritual light nor spiritual warmth nor spiritual healing nor spiritual softnesse that are without Christ They want both the righteousnesse of justification and of sanctification that have not a saving interest in this Sunne of righteousnesse There are no people upon the earth that stand in more need both of your compassions and prayers then those that want Jesus Christ And they are so much the more miserable because they want eyes to see their misery 4. That there is no righteousnesse either of justification or sanctification without Christ he is called the Sunne of righteousnesse in both these respects and therefore till he arise upon the soule it hath no righteousnesse in either of these respects 1. For the righteousnesse of justification The Papists they teach and maintain that a person must have in himself inherent righteousnesse to justifie him before Gods tribunall They say that Christs righteousnesse is not the proper cause of justification but that whereby God is pleased to accept of the habits of righteousnesse in us placing the matter of justification either in something habitually inherent in us or flowing from us This Doctrine doth devest Jesus Christ of this name which God hath here given him He is called the Lord our righteousnesse Jer. 23. 6. If he be our righteousnesse then we are not our own righteousnesse I would not be found saith a good Divine in the righteousnesse of the best prayers I ever made at the day of judgement To take off men from this Popish doctrine I shall lay down these Arguments against it 1. The righteousnesse of God and the righteousnesse of man are opposed in Scripture as things inconsistent in the matter of justification Phil. 3. 9. To mingle these two together were to wear a garment of linnen and woolen which God forbade in his Law He that submits to the one cannot submit to the other So the Apostle teacheth us expresly Rom. 10. 3. he that trusts to the righteousnesse of man cannot trust to the righteous of God Our righteousnesse is that which we do in obedience to the Law but Christs righteousnesse is that by which we are reckoned righteous in the sight of God 2. If righteousnesse be by workes then it is not of free grace but of due debt This is the Apostles argument Rom. 11. 6. The Papists answer this by understanding by works there the works of nature and unregeneracy only and not of works flowing from faith But this is a meer falshood for the Apostle proves Rom. 4. 2. that works flowing from faith cannot justifie before God Abraham was regenerate Abrahams works were works flowing from faith yet were not those works his righteousnesse but Christ apprehended by faith 3. That righteousnesse by which and for which a person is justified must exactly answer Gods justice It must be so every way perfect that justice it self can require no more but the best of our works are imperfect and
defective They are so in our own sight much more in the sight of God Esay 64. 6. Not only our righteousnesse but our righteousnesses are a silthy ragge Psal 130. 4. David was a man after Gods own heart yet doth he acknowledge that if God should weigh iniquity none should stand Job had a very high testimony from God Chap. 1. 1. yet he durst not stand upon such termes Chap. 9. 3. 15. 20. 30 31. Nehemiah did many good works yet he comes to a Psalme of mercy chap. 13. 22. 4. This Doctrine makes a man his own justifier which is contrary to Scripture The Scripture ascribes the work of justification to God Rom. 3. 26. and Rom. 8. 33. To make mans works the cause of his justification is to make him a justifier which is the work of God alone 5. This Doctrine makeâ— the merit and sacrifice of Christ either needlesse or insufficient This is the Apostles Argument Gal. 2. ult To affirme either of these is a great wickednesse To say it was needlesse is to make God cruel to his Sonne Why should he poure out his blood if there was no necessity of it To say it is insuffiâ—ient is to vilifie his person to contradict Scriptures which saith he is able to save to the uttermost 6. This Doctrine establisheth boasting Now the great designe of God in the justification of a sinner is to exclude boasting Rom. 3. 27. The Law of works layes a foundation of boasting but the Law of faith excludes boasting 7. This Doctrine robs the soul of all consolation and leaves it unsetled and perplexed A man can never be free from troubles that builds the hopes of his justification upon himself Rom. 10. 6 7. The scope of the Apostle in that place is to put a difference between the righteousnesse of the Law and the righteousnesse of faith Amongst other this is one the righteousnesse of faith settles the heart it saith not who shall ascend c It knows Christ hath ascended and descended that he hath done all and suffered all and so quiets the conscience He that trusts to his own righteousness can never be setled but will be still disputing And therefore the Papists who cry up justification by their own works cry down assurance of salvation And they cannot do otherwise for justification by our own righteousnesse and assurance of salvation are inconsistent Thus I have proved the righteousness of justification to be from Christ 2. For the righteousnesse of sanctification This is also from Christ he that is without Christ is without sanctification Till this Sunne be risen upon the soul there is no holinesse in the soul A Christlesse condition is an unsanctified condition A man must prove himself interested in Christ before he can be able to assert his Sanctification we are said to be sanctified in Christ 1 Cor. 1. 2. you must thank Christ as well for the righteousness of sanctification as for that of justification Till these beames shine upon you you have no grace in you 2. For exhortation 1. To all in general 2. To you that have no interest in Christ 3. To them that have an interest 1. To all men in general I would recommend two things 1. Blesse God for Jesus Christ We have great cause to blesse God for the light of the Sunne innumerable are those benefits we receive by this creature 'T is our guid 't is our life by the influences of it nature is revived the body is cheered and all things usefull for our life are refreshed the world had been an Egypt for darknesse a Wildernesse for barrennesse an Hospital of diseases if God had not made the Sunne the beauty of the creation would have been hid the benefit of the creation would have been lost if this lamp of heaven had not been hung out much more cause have we to blesse God for his mystical Sunne Eph. 1. 3. This will be the work of heaven to all eternity had not this Sun from heaven visited us our condition had been as miserable as the condition of devils 2. Never see the Sunne but meditate on Jesus Christ A spiritual Christian may learn very much Divinity from the works of creation Though the whole book of Creation without that revelation of the Gospel could not have made Christ known to the world the Phylosophers turn'd over every page of that great book but they could spell nothing of Christ out of it Yet now we that have the Gospel may help our knowledge of Christ by the book of creation Christ is resembled to so many creatures that we can hardly see any creature but it preacheth something of him when your eyes behold the light of the Sunne when you feel the warmth of the Sunne when you perceive the influential vertue of the Sunne upon the creatures then think on Christ the very Sun in the Firmament wil rise up in judgment against us that have Christ revealed in the Gospel as a Sunne if we do not fill our hearts with daily thoughts of him 2. To them that are without the saving beams of Christ I have onely one thing to presse upon them That they would endeavour that this Sunne may shine upon them yea that it may shine into them be not contented to live without the Sunne I know it will be said what shall we do that Christ may arise upon our hearts 1. Be sensible of your want of Christ he that sees and bewailes his own darknesse will hardly dye without light One reason why Christ doth not shine upon us is because we think we have light in our selves we think we saw Christ without the Sunne therefore we are suffered to walk in blindness without the Sun This our Saviour declares expresly Joh 9. 3â— 2. Stand in those places where the Sunne usually shines He that would have the Sunne shine on him must not keep in dark Cellers and Vaults but must come into the open aire The ordinary place of Christs shining is where his Gospel is preached the preaching of the Gospel is the East where this Sunne ariseth 2 Cor. 4. 4. 6. The Gospel is the Orbe of this Sunne be that constantly waits here will at lâ—st feeâ— the warm beams of Christ coming down upon him especially if he make it his designe to enjoy the beams of Christ in his Gospel 3. Take heed of shutting your eyes when the Sunne begins to appear He that shuts his eyes will never see the Sunne though it shine in all its brightnâ—sse Stand with your eyes open yea with your eyes fixed looking for Christs appearing and he will cause his beames at last to fall upon you To you on whom this Sunne hath arisen I have things to recommend to you 1. Do you wâ—lk as the children of the Light Put away darknesse ignorance blindnesse and be full of spiritual light God may well expect much light from those on whom Christ hath shined Stumbling in a childe of God is worsâ— then falling in another man If
and truth is iniquity purged is onely to be understood as a qualification of the person that is purged not of the meritorious cause of purging away sinne which the Scripture doth ever ascribe to the alsufficient sacrifice of Christ who is the onely propitiation for sinne 1 John 2. 2. 2. From the legal purifications Many washings did God appoint in the Law for the purifying of those that were legally uncleane There were two great wayes of ceremonial purification The blood of the sacrifices which were offered to God this was to be sprinkled by the Priests round about the Altar so we read Lev. 1. 5 11. And the water of separation of which we read Numb 19. init where you may see how it was to be made and how used Now what was typified by both these but this spiritual purgation of Christâ— blood The Apostle doth clearly and expressâ—ly unfold this to us in Heb. 9. 15 14. The Gospel-mystery of all the Levitical washings did amâ—unt to this that the blood of Christ did meritoâ—iously purge away sin 3. From the baptismal washing God hath appointed Baptisme as the seal of his Covenant under the Gospel Water is the outward element to be used in the administration of this Ordinance What is the meaning of this but that by the application of Christs blood sinne is purgâ—e away from the soul Therefore is Baptismâ— called the washing away of sinne Acts 22. 16. because by the outward washing of the body wiâ—h water is the inward washing of the soul from sin shadowed out This is the first particular 2. For the second Why his blood is compared to a fountaine It 's called a fountain in five respects 1. To shew the fulnesse of his merit Fountains are full of water there is an abundance a redundancy of merit in Jesus Christ The Prophet would dâ—stinguish the Gospel washings from the legal Those lavers were not fountains but vessels but Christs blood â—hich is the spiritual laver is an abounding fountain the spiritual washing is a rich and plentâ—â—ul â—ashing The Scripture doth mention â—â—e merit of Christ sometimes by fulness as John 1. 14. sometimes by the terme of abundance as Rom. 5. 17. The grace of Christ is every way proportionable to the necessity of the soul The soul may wash it selfe all over in the blood of Christ 2. To shew the lastingnesse of his grace The blood of Christ doth indure for ever Streams dry up vessels may be emptied but fountains have a spring in themselves and can never be emptied Christs blood hath been running for many ages and yet it runs in as plentiful streams as if it had been but newly opened It 's an ever flowing fountain 3. To shew the purity of it Streames are sometimes muddy and dirty but the fountain is clear There is not the least mixture of any defilement in the blood of Christ It 's compared to chrystal for the clearnesse of it Rev. 22. 1. The blood of Christ washes away defilement but it selfe is not capable of contracting any defilement 4. To shew the freshnesse and lively efficacy of it Streams may lose their vertue and efficacy sometimes water that is sweet in the fountaine is bitter in the streames especially if those streames be any great distance from the fountain The neerer the streames are to the fountain the more vertue they have in them and the fountaine it self hath most vertue of all Christs blood is full of efficacy and spiritual vigour It hath not lost it cannot lose that livelinesse and operativenesse which it once had Thus I have shewed you why it 's called a fountaine Before I leave this let me shew you how this fountaine excels all other fountaines 5. To shew the freenesse of it 1 This fountaine doth heal all manner of distâ—mpers Other fountaines though they may be of great use for some distempers yet they are not useful for all Yea the best of them are destructive in some cases but this fountaine is as good for every spiritual disease as it is for any It 's set down indefinitely in the text for sin and for uncleannesse that is for all sinne and for all uncleannesse The pool of Bethesda of which we read John 5. 4. did shadow out this that cured all diseases after the moving of it Christs blood is the true pool of Bethesda which heals all manner of spiritual sores and diseases 2 One drop of this fountain is as effiâ—acious as the whole fountaine In other fountains though every drop be of the same nature yet it is not of the same vertue but here every drop is of the same vertue with the whole One drop of Christs blood applâ—ed by faith will purge away sinne and uncleannesse as well as the whole fountain The same infinite merit that is in all is in every part 3 This fountain pâ—rgeth the soul in a moment of whatsoeâ—er filthinesse â—â— upon it Things that are very filthy must lye a long time sâ—aking in other fountaines before they can be made cleane They must be washed againe and again before they be made white but this fountaine purgâ—th immâ—dâ—ately One minute is as good as a thousand yeers as to the main principal work Let a leper â—â—ep into this fountain and he doth in one moment become a Nazarite as white as snow Naaman must dip sevâ—n times in â—ordan or ever he could be cured of his Leprosie 2 Kings â— 14. If a soule do but dip once in this fountain he is presently cured 4 That soul that is once made clean in this fountain is never filthy again Other fountaines cannot give any such power to them that wash in them as to be preservd from future defilements but this fountaine doth Not as if a soul should never defile it selfe at all after its cleansing for we do gather new filth every day and have need of new washings but as to the principal cleansing the soul is made cleane for ever It can never again return to that extremity of filthinesse under which it was The old blacknesse of unregeneracy can never return Every elect person shall be once born againe but when he is once regenerated he is regenerated for ever The foreskin can never overgrow 〈◊〉 soul againe as it did before Thus much for the 〈◊〉 pâ—rticular For the third How or in what respects 〈◊〉 â—â—eanseth away the uncleannesse of the 〈◊〉 â—his he doth in two respects 1. His blood cleanseth the soul from the guilt of â—â—nne Sinne doth lay a person under guilt Oâ— this â—â—â—eannesse of guilt the Scripture speaks Lev. 5. 2. From this uncleannesse Christs blood cleanseth as it is our justification for his blood â—â— the meritorious cause of our justification The Prophet speaks of this Esay 53. 4 5. God doth for the obedience and sufferings of Christ acquit the soul from sin and pronounceth it guilâ—â—â—se and innocent Hence it is that Christ is called our righteousnesse Jer. 23. 6. The Apostle speaks of this fully Rom. 3. 24
25 26. He is the lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world 2. His blood cleanseth the soul from the filthinesse of sin Sinne is a filthy thing in it self and it doth bring filthinesse upon the soul This filthinesse is removed by the sprinklings of Christs blood in the work of sanctification He doth by his blood purge the conscience from all dead works that it may serve the living God We are said to be sanctified in Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 1. 2. He is as well the meritorious cause of our Sanctification as of our justification Every drop and dram of grace cost his heart blood Had not God poured forth upon us the blood of his Son our black and polluted souls had never been made white We owe our holinesse to Christ as well as our righteousnesse This is the third 4. For the fourth That onely penitent sinners are purged in this fountaine This is cleare by comparing this Text wiâ—h v. 10. of the former Chapter There the prophet decribes the quality of the persons they are such as look on Christ whom they have pierced and such as mouâ—ne for him The fountaine of Christs blood is a sealed fountâ—ine to all impenitent sinners but to them that mourne and are in bitternesse for sin it 's a fountaine opened Consider 1. Impenitent sinners will not prize it A man must both see and bewaile his uncleannesse before he can value the healing fountain Christ never comes with acceptation till the soul see his need of him When the Apostle saw that the Jews began to be in sadnesse then he shews them the fountaine Acts 2. 37 38. An impenitent sinner will care no more for the grace of Christ in the Gospel then an innocent man will for a pardon When the Scripture holds out Christ it doth usually mention something of this nature Esay 55. 1. and Matth. 11. 28. No man will greatly prize either ease or rest but he that feels his load heavy 2. Impenitent sinners will abuse and sleight it A harned sinner will as much despire a Christ as a full stomack dainty meat This is the fourth 5. For the fifth Why Christ is called a fountaine opened He is called so in three respects 1. To shew how willing he is that sinners should make use of him He is not a sealed fountaine but a fountaine opened Jesus Christ is marvellous ready and desirous that polluted soules would make use of his blood All the invitations which he uses in the Gospel shew his readinesse Rev. 22. 17. He hath for this purpose appointed the Ministery of the Gospel that solemn invitation might therein be made to defiled souls that they would wash and be cleane All the complaints which he makes of sinners remisnesse and backwardnesse in coming to him are a proof of his readinesse Take but two places for this the one is John 5. 40. The other is in Luke 13. 24. With how much sadness of heart doth Jesus Christ utter those words How often would I have gathered thy children as a â—hen gathered her chickens and ye would not He that commands his doors always to be kept open doth declare his minde to be that all that want succour should turne in for relief Christ keeps open house for all penitent sinners 2. To shew the cleernesse of the Gospel revelation above the Legal Non dubito saith Calvin c. I do not doubt but by this word he notes the difference between the Law and the Gospel Christ was a fountain for sinne and for uncleannesse under the Law but he was a sealed fountaine he was a typified fountaine shadowed out under the blood of bulls and goats and other legal purifications but now he is a fountaine opened he is clearly and fully discovered without shadows or types or any such thing The fountaine was then covered over with the leaves of many veiles and shadows but now all those are taken away and the blood of Christ appears plainly the stone that formerly lay upon the mouth of the fountaine is now removed the streams run so clear that all that read the Gospel may perfectly see it And then 3. To shew the readinesse and easinesse of accâ—sse which is afforded to Christ The Apostle in Rom. 5. 2. makes mention of the accesse which the beleever hath to the grace of Christ Men pretend many difficulties and obstructions There is a lion in the â—ay saith the sluggard a lion in the streets Prov. 26 13. Who shall roll us away the stone say the women Mark 16. 3. the same thoughts have men generally in their hearts concerning their coming to Christ When they are invited to wash in this fountaine they presently reply who shall roll away the stone who shall unlock the fountaine for us This objection is fully answered the fountaine is unlockt already the way is plaine all impediments are taken out of the way when the soul is willing to come all the straits and hindrances are in your own hearts do but coâ—quer your own unwillingness and the passage is easie the fountaine is not sealed but open The Uses are for Information Exhortation Consolation 1. For Information This doctrine may teach us these profitable lessons viz. 1. Beâ—old the hainous and abominable filthinesse of sinne The Scripture sets out sinne as a very filthy thing It s compared to such things as are of a polluting nature To the â—kum of a boiling pot Ezek. 24. 6. To the filthinesse of a removed woman Ezek. 36. 17. to mire to the vomit of a dog 2 Pet. 2. 22. To the plague of pestilence and the plague of leprosie 1 Kings 8. 38. Sinne is often called a spot Deut. 32. 5. 'T is a spot exceeding black and exceeding broad and very deep Many things shew the filthinesse of sinne The waters of the deluge in the old world the flames of fire and brimstone sent down upon Sodom and Gomorrah But above all this shews it to be a filthy thing that it could not be washed away without the blood of Christ That 's a foul stain which cannoâ— be taken away without the shedding of mans blood The stain of that sin of covenant-breaking with the Gibeonites was very hainous that could not be done away without the blood of all Sauls house 2 Sam. 21. 1 2 6. Sinne is such a black spot that it could never have been done away without the blood of Christ The Son of God must open a fountaine of blood in his own heart to expiate sinne or it could never have been expiated The blood of bulls and goats could not do it Heb. 9. 12. The garment wâ—s too foule to be cleansed by any such thing Oh that sinners would lay this to heart thy lying thy bloody oathes which thou lookest upon as things so mean thy cheating and defrauding thy over-reaching and false dealing thy covetousnesse the guilt and filthinesse of the least of thy sins could never have been taken away if Jesus Christ had not opened the